1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to shaft seals in general, and more particularly to a seal assembly having a wear sleeve and a shaft guide.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Seal assemblies, such as radial lip seals, are used in numerous rotating machine applications including wheel hubs, axle assemblies and anti-friction bearings, for providing a seal between relatively rotatable inner and outer members, such as a shaft and a wheel hub or axle housing disposed about the shaft, upon which elastomeric seal lips are sealingly sliding. The radial lip seals of this type are provided to both retain lubricant within the wheel hub or housing and to prevent dirt and other contaminants from entering therein. Known lubricant seal assemblies typically include an annular metallic outer case or can which is press-fit within a bore formed in the housing. An annular seal member formed from a resilient material and having a seal lip is mounted concentrically within the can. The shaft extends through the annular seal and is free to rotate therewith relative to the can.
The end of the axle shaft which extends through the radial lip seal typically includes a plurality of splines or teeth, which provide a degree of axial freedom within the axle assembly. The required bar size for the shaft to meet system requirements is generally such that a sealing surface diameter of the seal member is less than the major diameter of shaft splines. This assures that the spline teeth will come into contact with the sealing lips potentially cutting them and causing leaks. During the process of installing the radial lip seal and the axle shaft, the axle shaft is frequently inserted through the annular seal member. Assembly in this manner permits the splines of the axle shaft to directly contact the seal lip. As the splines of the axle shaft are frequently sharp or burred, such contact can damage the seal lip and compromise the sealing integrity of the radial lip seal.
Accordingly, it is the intent of this invention to overcome these shortcomings of the prior art, and more specifically, to protect the lips of the seal member during the assembly of the shaft and the seal assembly.